THIS IS "WESH 2 NEWS FIRST AT 4" IN HIGH DEFINITION. BREAKING RIGHT NOW AT FOUR, A JURY FINDS MICHAEL BARGO GUILTY OF BEATING, SHOOTING AND TORTURING A 15-YEAR-OLD BOY. GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M JIM PAYNE. I'M MEREDITH MCDONOUGH. IT TOOK JURORS THREE HOURS TO COME BACK WITH A FIRST-DEGREE MURDER CONVICTION. WESH 2'S DAVE MCDANIEL LIVE AT THE MARION COUNTY COURTHOUSE. BARGO COULD FACE THE DEATH PENALTY. THAT'S CERTAINLY A POSSIBILITY. THERE ARE REALLY ONLY TWO CHOICES NOW -- THE DEATH PENALTY OR LIFE IN PRISON WITHOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF PAROLE. EVEN BARGO'S OWN ATTORNEY SAID IN CLOSING ARGUMENTS THIS MORNING HE FELT HIS CLIENT WAS GUILTY OF SOMETHING BUT HE SAID HIS INVOLVEMENT DID NOT RISE TO THE LEVEL OF A FIRST-DEGREE MURDER CONVICTION. CLEARLY, THE JURY DIDN'T AGREE. WE THE JURY FIND AS FOLLOWS AS TO THE DEFENDANT IN THIS CASE. THE DEFENDANT IS GUILTY OF MURDER THE FIRST DEGREE WITH A FIREARM. MICHAEL BARGO SEEMED STUNNED. HE HAD SPENT HOURS ON THE STAND MONDAY TELLING THIS JURY THE DEATH OF SEATH JACKSON WAS NOT HIS FAULT. HE SAID HE HAD BEEN BEATEN AND THAT HE WENT FOR A WALK. HE CLAIMED WHEN HE CAME BACK JACKSON WAS DEAD AND HIS BODY IN THE FIRE PIT. THE STATE CHALLENGED HIS MONDAY TESTIMONY IN ITS CLOSING ARGUMENT. MICHAEL BARGO WAS NOT FRAMED. HE WAS NOT SIMPLY MISUNDERSTOOD. HE CONFESSED TO EIGHT PEOPLE THAT HE SHOT AND KILLED SETH. THE STATE HAS SAID ALL ALONG BARGO LED FOUR OTHERS INTO A SPIR TOY KILL. SEATH JACKSON WAS BEATEN, SHOT, BURNED AND HIS REMAINS SUNK IN A LIMESTONE QUARRY. THE OTHER FOUR ARE SERVING LIFE IN PRISON. BARGO'S ATTORNEY SAID IN HIS CLOSING ARGUMENT. I'M NOT GOING TO STAND UP HERE AND TELL YOU THAT MICHAEL BARGO IS INNOCENT. BECAUSE HE'S NOT INNOCENT. HE'S GUILTY. BUT HE'S NOT GUILTY AS CHARGED BECAUSE OF REASONABLE DOUBT. HE IS GUILTY OF MURDER IN THE SECOND DEGREE AND I ASK YOU TO RETURN A VERDICT OF MURDER IN THE SECOND DEGREE. NOW HE MUST PREPARE FOR WHAT HE HOPES TO AVOID. A PENALTY PHASE WITH THE DEATH PENALTY AS AN OPTION. ONE PERSON HAS LOST THEIR LIFE AND NOW MAYBE WE'RE GOING TO ADD ANOTHER BODY TO THE TOLL. THERE'S NOTHING GOOD ABOUT THIS CASE AT ALL. NOW EVERYBODY WILL BE BACK IN COURT ON FRIDAY. THE JURY, THE JUDGE AND ALL OF THE ATTORNEYS. AS THEY START WITH THE PENALTY PHASE. THE JUDGE HAS THE ULTIMATE DECISION ON WHAT PENALTY IS LAID OUT BUT THE JURY WILL HEAR OTHER TESTIMONY AND MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE JUDGE ABOUT LIFE OR THE POSSIBILITY OF THE DEATH PENALTY. THE JURY ONLY ASKED ONE QUESTION ALL DAY THAT. WAS AT THE VERY END BEFORE THEY DELIVERED THEIR VERDICT. THEY ASKED THE JUDGE IF THEY WOULD BE SAFE. HE ASSURED THEM THEY WOULD.